1. Field of Invention
This invention relates to retainers for an electric iron cord when used to iron fabric on a common ironing board.
2. Description of Prior Art
In the process of ironing fabric on a common ironing board, the cord of an electric iron often interferes with the movement of the iron. The cord often wrinkles the already-ironed fabric. The cord is a necessary, but frustrating and inconvenient, appendage to an iron. It simply gets in the way.
Several solutions have been invented to reduce interference from the iron's cord. U.S. Pat. No. 3,214,851 to Webster (1965) shows a stand to hold the iron's cord. The stand is an accessory to an ironing board. It is bulky, hard to store and relatively complicated to assemble and use.
U.S. Pat. No. 1,665,316 to Matthews (1928) PA1 U.S. Pat. No. 2,506,246 to Stovers (1950) PA1 U.S. Pat. No. 3,266,760 to Edelman (1966) PA1 U.S. Pat. No. 3,250,030 to Lapastora (1966) PA1 U.S. Pat. No. 3,481,570 to Shettel (1969) PA1 U.S. Pat. No. 3,866,869 to Woods (1975)
are similar inventions in that all of them are attached to an ironing board with a clamping mechanism. They must be assembled for each use or left on the board permanently. They create wear and tear on the board's cover. When in use, they are obstructions in and of themselves as they take up space on the board. They are awkward to assemble and store.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,612,717 to Alvarez (1986) continues to improve on a solution to the problem of interference from an iron's cord. The retaining guide is a ring with working parts which is attached to a special cover for an ironing board in various ways. The main disadvantage of this invention is the cover itself which is an integral part of the retaining device. The cover is limited to a standard-sized board and is intended to remain on the board. No other cover can be used with the restraining ring. With use, ironing board covers deteriorate and the entire assembly must be replaced. Mechanical locking rings can break.
None of the above inventions address the advantage of being able to use covers made of various types of fabrics on the same board. It is a benefit to be able to change the cover quickly. Muslin covers are best used in clothing construction, slippery covers for household ironing.